Variational Graphics Extended (VGX)

Definition - What does Variational Graphics Extended (VGX) mean?

Variational Graphics Extended (VGX) is a software developed for use in 3-D computer-aided design (CAD) solid modeling. This innovation, made by a company named SDRC, is a type of variational CAD technology that helps to build multidimensional modeling.

Techopedia explains Variational Graphics Extended (VGX)

As it emerged in the 1990s, VGX was met with a great deal of fanfare. In many ways, technologies like VGX paved the way for today’s three-dimensional printing and other prototyping tools for three-dimensional objects.

VGX's strengths include bi-directional constraints, which help to make physical design more versatile, as well as various variational tools and a user interface that supports easy design changes with features like drag-and-drop capability. Experts have also called the VGX dynamic navigator user interface less cluttered and easier to use than some other designs.

Over time, VGX has been used in various ways by many different companies in different industries, including several car companies such as Ford and Honda, appliance maker Lexmark, and the German engineering firm Siemens. This kind of advancement in CAD technology has led to much easier manufacturing of many different kinds of products.